Asians most addicted to gadgets on holiday; Thais on top

A Thai tourist seen using a gadget while on travel. (AFP)

Asian tourists dominate a new list ranking the countries that are most addicted to their smartphones and tablets on holiday, with Thai, Korean and Japanese respondents expressing the highest amounts of separation anxiety at the prospect of traveling unplugged.

According to the results of a poll conducted by online booking site Hotels.com, an overwhelming majority of Thai respondents -- 85% -- admitted that the mere thought of traveling without their smart gadgets caused them to “break out in a cold sweat.”

The overall aim of the report was to look at digital holiday habits and identify the countries that find it most difficult to switch off during their vacations.

After Thailand, Korea placed second at 78%, followed by Japan at 69%. At the other end of the spectrum, travelers from India, Argentina and Spain were the least bothered by the thought of traveling without their smartphones.

In Canada, a little more than a quarter (27%) of travelers said they would find it difficult to disconnect from their gadgets, and in the US, that number rises to 35%.

The survey also asked respondents if they’ve ever ‘embellished’ their travel experiences to friends and family upon their return. Topping the list are Chinese travelers, 67% of whom admitted to adding a white lie here and there to jazz up their travel tales, followed by Germans (64%) and Koreans (48%).